


love me like we’re out of time

by dontdwell



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Heavy Angst, Light BDSM, Oral Sex, Pining, Rough Sex, Sexual Content, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 19:22:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29639433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontdwell/pseuds/dontdwell
Summary: “Can you just take me home?” Iris could see him reach a hesitant hand up to her shoulder like he wanted to comfort her, before seemingly changing his mind and pulling back.Good. They weren’t in love, they weren’t dating, they weren’t even really friends. That’s not what Iris needed from him, and he knew that. She turned slightly, signaling that he could pick her up and he did, speeding them to her apartment before she could even blink. There were times he’d take her on long runs, cradling her to his chest and letting the Speed Force consume them both.But not tonight. Tonight, Iris only wanted one thing from him.
Relationships: Barry Allen/Iris West
Comments: 19
Kudos: 59





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually inspired by a conversation I saw on Twitter saying Barry would never sleep with Iris as the Flash. While I agree, this made me think of writing a fic where that does happen. So I wanna start off by saying that if Barry sleeping with Iris under the Flash alias without her knowing makes you uncomfortable, don’t read this! 
> 
> This is technically dubious consent because Iris does not know the Flash is Barry. We all know Barry in canon would never go this far, but this is an AU so… yeah. 
> 
> Title is from Renegade by Axwell & Ingrosso

Iris stood on the Jitters roof, leaning against the wall while looking out at all of Central City. The pitch black sky against the blinking artificial lights of the city and complete silence made everything feel nostalgic. 

She was holding her latte between her hands, soaking in the warmth as goosebumps popped up along her arms. Iris tried not to reflect on her life, she really did, but she couldn’t help it.

Barry had been distracted and distant for months, her dad was acting shifty, her boss kept ragging on her to constantly pump out new Flash articles, and she just felt so _alone_. 

She hadn’t realized how much she relied on Barry’s constant comforting presence until suddenly he wasn’t there anymore. Her feelings about him were complicated, twisted up inside her, and she was hesitant to try to unravel them. 

The last thing she ever wanted was to lose him as her best friend, but she couldn’t help the way her heart skipped a beat whenever she saw him, which wasn’t often anymore. 

Iris felt a sharp tug at her heart, usually followed by tears, but sensed the familiar buzz of electricity before she could fully wallow in self-pity. 

“Iris,” he whispered right into her ear, voice vibrating like always, sending a shiver down her spine. She didn’t want to turn around because he would speed away, so she stayed pressed against him, back to chest. The smile on his face was audible just through him saying her name. 

She could feel the strength and power he exuded, even through her thick coat. “Are you okay?” He asked tentatively when she didn’t respond. 

She nodded, swallowing back the lump in her throat. She only got to see the Flash a couple nights a week, and she didn’t want to ruin it by dampening the mood. 

“Can you just take me home?” Iris could see him reach a hesitant hand up to her shoulder like he wanted to comfort her, before seemingly changing his mind and pulling back. 

_Good_. They weren’t in love, they weren’t dating, they weren’t even really friends. That’s not what Iris needed from him, and he knew that. 

She turned slightly, signaling that he could pick her up and he did, speeding them to her apartment before she could even blink. There were times he’d take her on long runs, cradling her to his chest and letting the Speed Force consume them both. 

But not tonight. Tonight, Iris only wanted one thing from him. 

When she opened her eyes she was on her bed, room dark except for the dim lamp on her bedside table. Her coat was off and hung on the rack, leaving her in jeans and a button-down. The Flash was standing a couple feet away at her doorway, like he was waiting for her to tell him to leave. 

“C’mere,” she said, rolling her eyes and holding a hand out which he eagerly raced over to take, staring down at her with those wide, earnest eyes. Eyes she could never actually tell what color they were. Maybe one day he’d let her really see his face.

“Iris, I- are you sure you wanna do this?” He asked, running a thumb over her knuckles. She resisted the urge to pull her hand away.

There were times he was too gentle with her, too caring, as if he actually liked her. She knew he didn’t. “I’m fine,” she insisted, tugging him so he stumbled closer in-between her legs. “I want this.” 

He looked at her once more, scanning her body with something in his eyes that she didn’t want to inspect further, before he eventually pushed her backwards and crawled over her. _Yes_. This was what she wanted. 

“Well then, Ms. West, you’ll get it,” he said roughly, the tone in his voice sending arousal straight through her. 

Iris thought of herself as a dominant person in almost every aspect of her life. She had to be, working around mainly men and growing up without a mother figure. She was used to it. But here, in her bedroom with a real life superhero, she let herself let go. 

He turned her lamp off before finally pulling off his gloves and kissing her fiercely, holding her face to his and winding his long fingers around the back of her neck. She could feel the sparks of electricity he always gave off lighting up her every nerve. 

She couldn’t grab his hair through his cowl so she settled for the next best thing, gripping the leather at his biceps as he unzipped her jeans and tugged them off along with her underwear. She unbuttoned and threw her shirt off as he slowly dragged his fingertips down her bare legs, stopping at her ankles. 

“Spread your legs, Iris,” he commanded, and she easily complied. The power imbalance was an insane turn on for her, especially obvious now with her completely naked while he was covered head to toe. 

He laid between her legs, wrapping each arm around her thighs and holding her open to him. The anticipation was about to kill her, as he sucked wet kisses into her inner thigh and below her belly button but avoided where she really needed him. 

“Please,” she whimpered, gripping her comforter when he licked at the crease of her thigh, nuzzling her with his nose and breathing in deeply. 

“God you always smell so good,” he said, finally giving her one firm lick across her opening. Her hips bucked off the bed but he quickly held her down. 

“This is all I think about. The way you smell, the way you taste. It’s addicting.” He was tonguing her firmly now, fingers gripping her tightly so she couldn't move. 

She could feel her wetness dripping down her thighs, over his chin as she trembled under him, his thumbs spreading her apart. 

“Fuck,” she cried over and over again. It was almost too much, being on the edge but needing just a little more. As if he knew what she wanted, he paused.

Iris looked down. “Do it,” she breathed out, nerves on fire from the way he was smirking up at her from between her legs, mouth wet and eyes sparkling. 

He exposed her clit with the pad of his thumb, then pressed his tongue against her again, vibrating it gently at first then ramping it up as she started to squirm. 

He held her hips down with one of his forearms, the other pressed against her inner thigh, easily slipping two fingers inside her. He crooked them up, hitting the spot that made her vision turn spotty. 

“Yes, right there,” she moaned, his fingers vibrating now in tune with his tongue. Her whole body was thrashing back and forth but tensed tightly as she came, clenching onto his fingers and spilling wetness into his palm. 

She could barely see, could only hear a faint buzzing noise as she came down from her climax, breathing heavily and heart pounding.

“You’re so fucking hot Iris,” he said, pulling his fingers out and sucking on them before cleaning her up with his mouth. 

She was lightheaded and shaking, pleasure still coursing through her. “Stop, stop,” she pushed him away when it was too much, the sensitivity overwhelming. 

He let her come down from the aftershocks, stroking her sides lightly as he watched her with a soft smile. She desperately wanted to see his whole face, but knew he wouldn’t say yes. 

Once she had asked him innocently in the middle of a particularly amazing blowjob, and he had sped away to the opposite corner of her living room, voice trembling and telling her not to ask again or he’d stop coming over. Iris was not willing to give up the best sex she’d ever had. 

“You ready for more?” Flash asked, kissing up her stomach to her breasts, sucking and biting at one nipple while pinching the other. She nodded, still unable to speak. When he had shown her how he could vibrate any part of his body, Iris had almost fainted. He was basically a sex toy come to life.

He undid the lower part of his suit until his dick sprung up, hard and thick against his torso. He stroked himself a couple times before rolling on a condom and hovering over her, licking her collarbone and neck before reaching her mouth and kissing her deeply. She could still taste herself on his tongue.

Finally he pushed into her, both of them groaning at the feel. She sucked him in easily, still coated in her release. 

"Always so good, Iris. You're all I want, all I’ve ever wanted,” he whispered into her mouth as he fucked her steadily, thumb ghosting over her clit. She would’ve called him out for that but she didn't really care if he was lying or not, though she guessed he was. 

He was the Flash. He could be with any girl in Central City. Any girl in the goddamn world. 

Why would he settle for just one, much less her? She had told him, when they first started this _thing_ between them, that he could do whatever he wanted, as long as he used protection. She was not about to get an STD. 

He had just frowned at her, insisted he had no plans to hookup with anyone else. As long as no one caught feelings, Iris was indifferent. All she wanted was the sex. The amazing, heart-stopping, mind-blowingly good sex.

“Harder, Flash,” she groaned, gripping his arms, needing something to hold onto. She didn’t want emotional sex, she wanted it hot and rough.

He stilled and looked down into her eyes pleadingly. She could barely make out his features because of how dark her room was, but it was like he was begging her for something. 

At her silence, he blinked a couple times and looked away, out her large window where she could see the city. She was going to say something but didn’t want to ruin the moment he was apparently having. 

“Anything for you,” he said casually when he turned back, as if nothing had happened. She opened her mouth to reply but he just kissed her, wrapping one hand around her throat and pressing lightly.

She jerked her hips up to meet his every thrust, the wet slapping sound echoing throughout her room as he sped up, pounding into her with all his strength. “Come for me, Iris,” he said, vibrating his thumb again, biting at her earlobe and tightening his fingers around her neck just slightly. 

And she did. Her orgasm overtook her intensely like a lightning strike as she screamed out, thankful that her apartment had soundproof walls. She felt him twitch inside her, pulsing into the condom as he came too, groaning her name like a prayer and peppering kisses all over her face. 

He let go of her throat and intertwined both her hands with his, holding them over her head as she tried to control her breathing, his dick still nestled inside her. 

After she calmed down, he pulled out and rolled off her, propping himself up on one elbow so he could look at her. He tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, gazing at her somewhat reverently. 

“Thanks for that. I needed it,” Iris said, feeling hot under his stare. She sat up, facing her closet with her back towards him. She suddenly felt very exposed, and the emotions she had on the roof were back. She missed Barry.

She heard the Flash get off her bed to pull his suit back on, and then the dull thud of the condom hitting her trash can. He came back to stand between her legs, tilting her head up firmly. 

He just stared down at her for a second, opening and closing his mouth before he finally kissed her forehead. “Have a good night, Iris,” he said, rubbing her cheekbone softly before speeding away, leaving her naked and alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, Barry is an absolute idiot when it comes to Iris, as per usual. But it’s all in the name of angst. If you're interested in this story please leave a comment cause I’m still not 100% sure if I’ll continue it. Thanks for reading this far!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY SEASON 7 PREMIERE DAY!! I cannot wait to have Iris and Barry back on my screen tonight. And I wanted to say thank you for all the comments, they make my day and inspire me to write more. Here’s chapter 2!

**Bear:**

**I’m really sorry Iris, I can’t hang tonight**

Iris stared numbly at the text on her phone, willing it to go away. Iris had ran into Barry earlier in passing, and he promised her, _swore_ that they would hang out that night. That little flutter she felt in her chest when they had hugged was now crushed, burnt out like ashes. 

Heart in the pit of her stomach, she sent a quick “ok” back, then turned off her phone and shoved it in her pocket. She didn’t want to have to guilt trip her best friend of 20 years into spending time with her.

Iris clenched her fists in anger at the swirling emotions she felt when she thought of Barry. She wished she didn’t have feelings for him, or that he was just a casual friend that she saw once in a while to catch up. But then again, she wouldn't trade their past for anything. 

She wasn’t sure when she had started seeing him as more than just a best friend. Whenever she tried to pinpoint an exact moment, she would remember something else he had done that sent butterflies to her stomach. 

Iris had to laugh at the fact that before his coma, she actually had thought he might like her back. Now she knew how stupid that was. Barry seemingly went out of his way to avoid even just seeing her. 

Her dad wasn’t any better. He used to invite her over for dinner every couple days. Those nights with him and Barry were the rare times that brought her peace and comfort in her wildly busy schedule. 

They’d eat Joe’s cooking, stuffed till she could barely breathe, have a drink or two, then her dad would pass out early while her and Barry cuddled up on the couch and watched their old favorite movies, throwing popcorn at each other or feeding each other sour candy. 

After being promoted, Joe worked nights too, so she only saw him on the weekends they were both free. She felt like ripping her hair out.

Instead, she blinked away the tears stinging behind her eyes and tied her apron on. When the manager at Jitters had asked her to work there again, she initially regretted saying yes. CCPN already took up most of her day, and adding another job robbed her of precious free time. 

But now, she was grateful. It allowed her interaction with people who weren’t just her coworkers, something she was sorely lacking nowadays. 

“Iris, hi,” a voice said from behind the counter, and Iris looked up to see one of Barry’s doctors, Caitlin. “Oh hey,” Iris said, smiling at the familiar face. They had all gotten drinks together a couple times, but Caitlin was still awkward and stilted whenever Iris talked to her. Barry said that was just her personality. 

They chatted aimlessly as Iris poured her drink, a plain black coffee. As they said their goodbyes and she turned to leave, Iris swallowed her pride and grabbed Caitlin’s wrist lightly. “Do you happen to have plans tonight?” Caitlin looked at her with wide startled eyes. 

“Oh uh, I actually do with Cisco and… Barry.” Iris felt her stomach twist. So Barry was ditching her for two people he had met just months ago on a Saturday night. They were clearly more important to him than she was. 

“Right, of course. Have fun,” Iris said, giving Caitlin what she hoped was a genuine smile. She felt sick inside. Caitlin hesitated like she wanted to say something, but just smiled back, holding up the drink in a ‘thanks’ before leaving. 

It didn’t escape her that Caitlin had made no attempt to invite her. She wasn’t welcome in their group. Barry was moving on, finding new friends that had similar interests to him and growing apart from her in the process.

Iris was happy for him, she told herself. She had always wanted him to meet more people. He was the best person she’d ever known, and Iris thought everyone should get the honor of being friends with Barry. But why did he have to cut her out to do so? Why did it have to hurt this much?

\----

It was past 1 am that night when the Flash came to her. She was tossing and turning in bed, still slightly drunk from the multiple glasses of wine she had with her dinner. Her room was a blur as her head spun, but everything sharpened a little when he appeared in her room.

“Flash?” she said, eyes half open. They didn’t meet on Saturday nights because Iris usually had plans. Usually. 

“Hi,” he replied, coming over to sit on the edge of her bed. The faint scent of the woodsy cologne he wore mixed with the metallic smell of pure energy filled her senses, making her grin into her pillow. 

“What’re you doing here?” she could tell her words were slightly slurred, but couldn’t help it. He smoothed a gloved hand over her hair, smiling down at her. “You texted me to come over. You don’t remember?” 

Iris shook her head, pressing a hand over her mouth as her room tilted at the action. She hadn’t drank in a while, and it was hitting her extra hard tonight. 

“You good? You don’t normally drink a lot,” he sounded concerned. He was always so worried about her, always making sure she was okay, just like Barry used to do. 

_Barry_. “I miss Barry. He hates me now and I don't- I don’t know what I did,” she whispered before she could stop herself, tears wetting her pillow. 

She had told herself time and time again to keep her personal life out of whatever she and the Flash were. He didn’t even know who Barry was, that’s how little she told him about herself. 

The Flash was completely silent, his hand unmoving on her head. “Can you stay with me?” she was only half-awake now, the warmth of his presence radiating through her, lulling her to sleep. 

She never let him stay the night. The first time they fucked, a couple months ago after he had rescued her from a robbery in Jitters and she was hopped up on adrenaline, he had asked her hesitantly- _“do you want me to stay?”_ It had been obvious he wanted her to say yes.

But Iris had said no. Said there was no reason to complicate things. Since then, he’d never asked again. Had always sped away to god knows where after. 

She felt the leather of his gloves softly brush away a tear. “Of course Iris. I’ll do anything you want, you know that,” she heard him say, something wavering in his voice that she’d question if she wasn’t so tired. She thought she felt him press a kiss to her head before her eyes closed completely, sleep overtaking her. 

\---

Iris woke up pressed against a solid body, a red-leather covered arm wrapped firmly around her, blackout curtains closed so she had no idea what time it was. She fumbled around her bedside table for her phone, which read 6:00 am. She also found a couple of Advil and a bottle of water the Flash had clearly left for her.

Speaking of, he was currently breathing evenly into her hair, letting out soft snores and sleeping so heavily she could probably pull his cowl back right there and then. But she would never betray him like that. 

Instead, she turned in his arms and nudged him lightly, watching as his eyelashes fluttered open. She could see the second he realized where he was, and how his hand was now pressed against her bare back. Iris liked to sleep naked. Sue her. 

“Hi Flash,” she said as seductively as possible while trying to ignore her pounding headache before the medication kicked in. She was determined to not let this turn anything but sexual, and waking up in bed together was a step in the wrong direction. 

“Hello there Ms. West. Are you feeling ok?” his voice was vibrating softly, reminding her of their previous night.

She moaned dramatically, rubbing her temples. “My head is killing me. But y’know what I heard helps with hangovers?” The pitch blackness of the room made her feel emboldened. He hummed in response, kissing her back when she pressed her lips to his. 

“An orgasm,” she whispered against his mouth. Iris could feel his grin. He trailed his long fingers over her hip down her thigh, then back up to right where she wanted him. 

He pushed her gently onto her back and she opened her legs wider as his fingers brushed against her clit, then moved down and slid two into her where she was already warm and wet for him. 

The Flash used his free hand to pull her thigh over his hip, spreading her open even more. She could see his hand moving under her white comforter as he fingered her, the sound of her slickness audible throughout the room.

He pulled his fingers out, rubbing her wetness over her clit before easily slipping them back in. She could feel her climax building, almost at the edge when he added another finger. She was gripping his arm with both hands, eyes shut tightly as tingles ran up and down her entire body. For a second Iris let herself believe it was Barry taking care of her like this. She had to bite her lip to stop herself from moaning his name.

“Are you gonna come just like this? Tell me, Iris,” he demanded, watching her silent gasps of pleasure. He curled them up inside her, hitting the perfect spot that only he could manage to find. “God, yes, yes,” She nodded furiously, clenching around his fingers as she arched off the bed, stars exploding behind her eyes. 

He stroked her through it, pushing his palm up against her and rubbing firmly, extending her release as she let out muted cries, writhing against him. 

Finally he withdrew them, wiping them on her sheets before cradling her face and kissing her languidly. Iris felt drunk again, hazy from a great orgasm. She noticed how hard he was under her thigh as he thrust softly against her bare skin.

“Want me to…?” she trailed off, gesturing to his dick pressing against his suit. He stilled as if he didn’t realize what he was doing and shook his head, kissing her temple before crawling out from under the covers. “That was all I wanted. Plus I gotta head out. Flash duties await,” he said, illuminated by the sunlight now visible through the crack in her curtain. 

He looked so powerful standing above her. Sometimes she forgot he was a superhero, that he was praised and adored by the entire city. She allowed herself a moment of pride that he wanted _her_ so badly, would kneel at her feet if she asked. 

“I’ll see you later. And I'm sure things with your friend will get better. No one in their right mind would ever let you go, Iris.” Even through the vibrating voice Iris could hear the undercurrent of pain in his words. Before she could reply, he sped away, a trail of sparks lighting up her room in his wake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to get updates for when a new chapter is posted, you can either bookmark the story or subscribe to my account!


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